The government of Donald Tusk has declared a silent war on the Church, traditional values, and parents defending their right to raise children according to their beliefs. At the center of the dispute—religious education classes. *”I have never encountered such a dismissive attitude toward the Church in any civilized country,”* says Archbishop Adrian Galbas, Metropolitan of Warsaw, commenting on the actions of the Ministry of Education.
Instead of Dialogue—Dictates
When asked about the chances of an agreement between the Polish Episcopal Conference and the Ministry of Education, Archbishop Galbas remains hopeful but does not hide his disappointment with the style of the so-called “talks,” which—as he admits—can hardly be called discussions.
“It’s hard to even call it a debate. These are rather directives imposed on us, which are inconsistent with the Constitution, the law, and basic human decency,” the clergyman assesses.
The Church proposed a calm, phased implementation of changes, giving schools and teachers time to prepare. Among the suggestions was making religion or ethics classes mandatory to ensure young people receive education in values. The Episcopate also wanted decisions to be made through dialogue—not by administrative decree.
“Unfortunately, all these proposals were rejected, practically without any substantive argument,” says Archbishop Galbas.
Constitutional Tribunal’s Ruling? The Government Remains Silent
In November 2024, the Constitutional Tribunal ruled that the Ministry of Education’s regulation on organizing religion classes was inconsistent with the Education System Act. Despite this, the ruling has still not been published in the Journal of Laws, effectively preventing its enforcement.
“We want a fair and lawful resolution to this matter. Parents who send their children to religion classes pay taxes, and the constitution guarantees them the right to raise their children according to their beliefs. We believe their rights have been violated,” emphasizes the Metropolitan.
Faced with the government’s disregard for the Tribunal’s ruling, the Episcopate is considering appealing to European institutions and the UN.
A Letter to the Prime Minister—No Substantive Response
The Presidium of the Polish Episcopal Conference directly addressed Prime Minister Donald Tusk, requesting clarification regarding the unpublished ruling. The response took a long time—and, as Archbishop Galbas states, was “vague and lacking in specifics.“
“This dismissive treatment affects not only the bishops but, above all, the religion teachers facing potential job loss, the parents sending their children to religion classes, and the students who wish to attend them,” he stresses.